NYXL: Stage 1 Week 1 Preview

Welcome to the first NYXL team pre-review! These articles will come out weekly before all the games start in order to recap everything and make sure viewers are ready for the next games. As fans prepare for the start of the season, it’s finally time to get down to it and preview what viewers can expect out of their Week 1 match-ups.

Boston Uprising 26-14 (Last Season)

Courtesy of Overwatch League

The Uprising gave the NYXL a run for their money in stage 3 of the inaugural season, finishing above them in the overall standings for the stage with a 10-0 record. They were quickly overtaken, however, when the NYXL defeated them in the playoffs 3-0. Both teams came up short in the season 1 playoffs, as neither one earned a spot in the Grand Finals despite their initially strong performances throughout the season.

Prediction: NYXL wins 3-2

Fun Fact: The Boston Uprising are entering stage 1 with one of their newest DPS pickups, Kelsey “Colourhex” Birse, already being benched as punishment for account boosting.

Washington Justice 0-0

Ex-NYXL teammate Jun-hwa “Janus” Hong, ex- Shanghai Dragon Chon “Ado” Gi-hyeon and ex-NYXL coach Hyeong-seok “WizardHyeong” Kim make up some of the familiar faces on the Washington Justice. The team’s predicted performance in their debut season has been heavily debated on by fans. While the team managed to get their hands on a few big names from other already established Overwatch League teams, none of the players on the roster particularly stand out to fans as star players.

This is the match that will set the tone for the rest of their time playing during stage 1. With the Justice’s first game being against such a strong team, they had better make sure they are ready to take on the NYXL with all cylinders firing.

Prediction: NYXL wins 4-0

Player to watch: With fan favorite DPS Do Hyeon “Pine” Kim returning to the Overwatch League, he’s certainly a player to keep an eye on during the NYXL’s season 2 debut. Pine, known for his flashy playstyle and star quality hitscan abilities, always gets the crowd on their feet. However, his playing seriously suffered at the end of stage 4 when his gutsy plays resulted in too many messy mistakes. With the arrival of season 2, fans will be eager to see if he’s been able to clean up his act during the offseason.

You can follow Miranda on Twitter and Instagram @inlustris__ if you would like to talk Overwatch!